Measuring device



p 1962 J. M. TINDALL MEASURING DEVICE Filed Sept. 15, 1959 2 $23 BYQ ATTORNEYS.

3,052,385 MEASURING DEVICE John M. Tindall, 522 Greenleaf, Wilmette, Ill. Filed Sept. 15, 1959, Ser. No. 840,126 Claims. (or. 222-454 This invention relates to a measuring device, and more specifically, to a device disposed within a carton or other container for the dispensing of measured quantifies of dry finely-divided materials and products such as powdered milk, sugar, flour, cereal, powdered detergents, soap flakes and the like.

There has long been a need for a measuring device of simple and inexpensive construction which may be integrated with a container and which will thereby eliminate the need for separate measuring utensils in the dispensing of measured quantities of dry products in powdered, granulated or flake form. While attempts have been made to provide such a structure, no solution has been forthcoming which is acceptable to both the manufacturer and the user from the standpoint of low cost, structural simplicity, and ease of operation.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a highly effective measuring device which is integrated with a dispensing container and which overcomes the aforementioned defects and disadvantages of prior structures. Another object is to provide a dispensing container for a dry, finely-divided product, the container having therein a measuring device for the discharge of measured quantities of the material from the container. A further object is to provide a measuring device which may be easily inserted into a conventional dispensing carton or other container before that carton is filled with a dry and finely-divided product, thereby converting an ordinary dispensing carton into a carton capable of being manipulated to discharge measured quantities of the product contained therein. In that connection, it is a specific object to provide a measuring device of simple construction which is formed from a single sheet of foldable material and which may be readily inserted and secured in place within a box of the type commonly used for packaging detergents, soap flakes, cereals and the like.

Other objects will appear from the specification and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a broken perspective view illustrating a carton equipped with a measuring device embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a broken elevational view taken partly in section and showing the carton and measuring device during a dispensing operation;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the measuring unit; and

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a blank from which the unit shown in FIGURE 3 may be folded.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, the numeral generally designates a container or carton of the type in which washing powders and flakes and a variety of dry food products are commonly packaged. The carton is formed from cardboard and is provided with rectangular top, side and rear walls 11, 12 and 13 respectively. Adjacent the upper end of the cartons front wall 14 is an integral closure portion 15 which may be broken away along perforation line 16 to provide a hinged flap for discharge opening 17. It is to be understood, of course, that the shape of the carton and the design of the closure flap (and the opening defined thereby) may be varied considerably to suit the commodity to be dispensed and the preference of the manufacturer.

The measuring device is designated by the numeral 18 and is shown most clearly in FIGURE 3. While this device may be formed integrally with the carton as an extension of the blank from which the carton itself is folded, I prefer to form the device as a separate unit which may be inserted into .the carton prior to filling. Thus, in the illustration given, the device consists essentially of a hopper having top, bottom, front, rear and side walls 19-23 respectively. Intermediate its upper and lower ends, the rear wall 22 is provided with a rearwardly extending horizontal baflie 24 and, above the baffle, is an inlet opening 25. Front wal 21 is provided with an outlet opening 26 adapted to register with the discharge opening 17 of the carton when the hopper is secured in place.

The hopper may be formed from plastic, metal or any other suitable material. However, I prefer to form it from a single sheet of die-cut flexible board material such as cardboard. FIGURE 4 illustrates blank 27 from which the hopper may be formed, the side portions 28-32 of the blank being folded in overlapping relation to provide side Walls 23 of the hopper. After the blank has been folded along the fold lines indicated by broken lines in FIGURE 4, portions 33 and 34 may be secured together in face-to-face relation to provide the outwardly projecting baflie 24. The side portions 28-32 may be adhesively secured together although it has been found that the hopper will retain its form sufiiciently for insertion into a carton when only the portions 33 and 34 which form the bafile are secured together. Therefore, the blank 27 may be readily folded to form the hopper 18 shown in FIGURE 3, the only positive connection between the various portions consisting of a staple 35 or other suitable connecting means for joining the baflie portions 33 and 34 together.

The hopper is then inserted into the dispensing carton It prior to the filling of that carton in the packaging operation. The top and side walls 19 and 23 of the hopper are adhesively secured to the inner surfaces of the corresponding walls 11 and 12 of the carton. From FIGURES l and 2, it will be observed that the hopper is oriented so that its outlet opening 26 is in register with the discharge opening defined by perforation lines 16. While the hopper is of substantially the same width as the carton, its vertical dimensions are substantially less than the depth of that carton. Furthermore, the distance between the free edge of baffle 24 and the front wall 21 of the hopper is substantially less than the distance between the front and rear walls 14 and 13 of the carton. Thus, when the carton is tipped forwardly more than from the position illustrated in FIGURE 1, the particles packaged within the carton are free to flow into the chamber 35 of the hopper through the inlet opening 25 thereof.

After the hopper is inserted and secured in place within the carton, the carton is filled or partially filled so that after the carton is sealed and placed in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 the level of the contents will be below the level of baflie 24. Later, when a purchaser desires to dispense measured amounts of the material contained within the package, perforation line 16 is broken so that closure flap 15 is capable of being folded into the open position illustrated in FIGURE 2. With the closure flap held in closed position, the user simply tips the carton forwardly so that the front corner in which the hopper or measuring device is mounted is disposed beneath the remainder of the package, thereby permitting the contents to drain into the hopper through the inlet opening 25. The carton is thereafter returned to its upright condition and, as the carton is again tipped forwardly, this time with the closure flap in open condition, the contents of the filled hopper will be dispensed through outlet opening 26 and discharge opening 17.

The dimensions and volumetric capacity of the hopper will of course depend upon the nature of the product and the requirements of the consumer. For example, if the carton is to contain a powdered. detergent then a hopper having a volumetric capacity of approximately one cup may be desirable. A housewife may then add a cupful of the detergent to the water in an automatic washer, an amount suggested by the manufacturers of a number of such washers, without the use of any additional measuring devices.

An important aspect of the present invention lies in the provision of the rearwardly projecting bafile 24. As shown in FIGURE 2, this bafile operates to prevent additional amounts of the material contained within the carton from draining into the hopper through opening 25 when the carton is tipped 90 during a dispensing operation. Since some finely-divided dry materials will tend to pour more easily than others, it is to be understood that the dimensions of the baflle and its position between the vertical limits of rear wall 22, as well as the size of inlet opening 25, may be varied considerably. In any case, however, the rear edge of the baffle must be spaced a substantial distance forwardly from the rear wall 13 of the carton to permit the contents of that carton to drain into the measuring chamber 35 when the carton is tipped forwardly more than 90.

Bafile 24 also performs another important function. After the carton has been tipped forwardly and downwardly to fill the measuring chamber and has been returned to its upright condition, it is apparent that some of the material contained within the hopper will tend to drain back into the interior of the carton through opening 25. Bafile 24 serves as a ledge to restrain the downward ilow of such material and to hold it in place adjacent the inlet opening 25 so that when the carton is again tipped to discharge the contents of the hopper the material restrained by the surface of the baffle adjacent opening 25 will be free to pass through that opening and out of the hopper through outlet 26 and discharge opening 17.

Proper draining of the measuring chamber 35 during a dispensing operation is greatly facilitated by reason of the inclination of bottom wall which slopes upwardly and forwardly when the carton is viewed in the upright condition of FIGURE 1. It will also be observed that the bottom wall 20, by reason of its angular relationship with reference to the other walls of the hopper, tends to provide a rigid and sturdy hopper construction.

While in the foregoing I have disclosed an embodiment of the present invention in considerable detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many of these details may be varied considerably without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A measuring device for the discharge of measured quantities of dry and finely-divided material from a container having a discharge opening and closure means therefor adjacent the upper end of said container comprising a chamber-defining member adapted to be secured within said container adjacent the upper end thereof and providing a chamber of preselected volumetric capacity, said member having a front wall provided with an outlet in register with said discharge opening and having a rear wall provided with an inlet opening communicating with the interior of said container, said rear wall also providing a generally horizontal baflie extending outwardly from said member and into the interior of said container, said bathe being disposed beneath the inlet opening of said member.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said member is provided with an imperforate bottom wall sloping upwardly and forwardly toward the front Wall of said container.

3. In a container equipped with means for the discharge of measured quantities of dry and finely-divided material therefrom, said container having a front wall providing a discharge opening adjacent the upper end thereof and being provided with a closure for said discharge opening, said means comprising a chamber-defining insert member disposed within the upper portion of said container and having a chamber of selected volumetric capacity, said member having a front wall provided with an outlet in register with said discharge opening, said member also having an imperforate bottom wall spaced above the the bottom of said container and having a rear wall providing a generally horizontal baffle extending rearwardly from said rear wall and spaced beneath the top of said container, said rear wall also providing an inlet opening disposed above said baffle, whereby, when said discharge opening is closed said container may be tipped to fill said chamber through said inlet opening, said baffle restraining the flow of material into said chamber when said closure means is moved into open position and said container is tipped to discharge the contents of said chamber.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said member is formed from a single die-cut sheet of folded board material and is adhesively secured to said container within the upper portion thereof.

5. A carton having adjacent its top a discharge opening and closure means therefor, a measuring chamber disposed within said carton and communicating with said discharge opening, said measuring chamber being defined by walls separating the same from the interior of said canton, one of said walls constituting a substantially vertical wall spaced between the front and rear of said carton and being provided with an inlet opening for said chamber, said vertical wall also providing a substantially horizontal bafile extending rearwardly below said inlet opening for restraining the flow of material from the interior of said carton into said measuring chamber when said carton is tipped to dispense the contents of said chamber through said discharge opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,933,449 Prahl Oct. 31, 1933 2,769,581 Logemann Nov. 6, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 739,194 Great Britain Oct. 26, 1955 780,132 Great Britain July 31, 1957 

